I'M BACK!

~GoGreen52

Chapter 20- The End of the Road

-Annabeth POV-

I couldn't believe it. Today, we were going back home.

This weekend was too much fun to ever forget about; but I don't think Grover and Juniper will ever forget this weekend either… nor will me and Percy. I'm not so sure about Thalia and Nico, considering they have been out of it practically the whole weekend… well, most of it.

"Hey Annabeth," Percy said, pulling me out of my thoughts. I was looking out the window, the morning sun coming up over the horizon. I turned to look at him, and saw that he was leaning against the door, smirking a bit. I immediately felt like wiping it right off his face… but I guess that's just woman's intuition.

"Yeah Percy?" I asked, giving him a small smile.

"We're leaving in ten minutes… do you need help with your bags?" he asked, still smirking at me. I could tell he was proud of himself that he found a place that I liked, but I knew it was defiantly some place he loved also, defiantly way more than me, also.

"What do you think, seaweed brain?" I asked, gesturing to the two bags that lay by my feet. I didn't pack much, so the bags were small. "I'm not a little prissy girl, you know."

He held his hands up in a surrender position. "Okay, okay, no need make this talk bloody here."

"Whatever."

I picked up my bags, and walked out the door, while Percy held it for me. I knew he was looking at me with a worried look because I know what it feels like to have it against my back. Like… getting the chills.

As soon as I got to the stairs, he asked me again, "Are you sure you don't need any help?"

"Do I look like I need help?" I asked, giving him my signature glare. He gave me a small smile, and shook his head. "Exactly."

He held the doors for me, so I could load my bags into the car. I noticed that Thalia and Nico were already in the car, ready to go. I had a feeling Grover and Juniper were off talking somewhere, trying to get the last bit of vacation they could get.

I closed the trunk, and laughed when I heard Thalia start to yell at Nico. It was muted, but I could still hear it perfectly… that's Thalia for you.

"So… what are we going to do when we get back New York?" I asked, looking at Percy. He shrugged, looking down. "You know something, don't you?"

"No, I don't know anything more than you do, Annabeth," Percy said, still looking down. Defiantly lying.

I shook my head and glared at him, my curls coming out of the pony tail. "Yes, you do. Now spill," I ordered, looking at him pointedly.

He started mumbling, and I honestly had no idea what he was saying. I mean, it's coming from me who has practically babysat her whole life.

"What did you say?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "You're just all mumble mumble on me now."

Percy looked at me, and I could see some anger building up on his face. "Look, you want to know what I said? Okay, I said I have to move back to LA the day after I get back to New York, because before I came here, I got an offer from a recording company for the newest songs I've written."

My eyes widened. "W-What?" I asked, not able to fully grasp what he said.

"I'm supposed to go back to LA."

Percy looked at me, softer this time. "I know we'll have to do some things to make this work, but I think we can do it. We love each other. And we aren't in this alone."

I looked at him, and nodded, smiling a bit. "Besides, this is your career… this should be good."

He smiled down at me, and nodded. "You're right-"

I cut him off, "Like always."

He gave me a lopsided grin and continued, "This should be good. I mean, I shouldn't have kept it secret, but I guess… I didn't want you to worry."

I smiled at him, and pulled him in for a hug. "Just don't ever keep something back from me again. I don't care what it is; just don't ever try to hold back on me."

"I won't."

I n T h e C a r

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are you sure we're not there yet?"

"No."

"Are you positive we're not there yet?"

"No… wait- yes!"

"So you're not positive we're not there yet?"

"Shut up!"

Percy was driving. Nico was being a back seat driver. I think that settles it for right now.

The rest of the ride home was in silence, and I knew some of us just wanted time to think, and others to just sleep. I heard Grover snoring in the back, and Juniper lightly snoring, also. Thalia was looking out the window, her eyes distant, and Nico had his eyes closed, and was leaning back into the seat, resting.

Percy had his eyes focused on the road, but I could tell there was something else bothering him. Whatever… I bet he just has a stomach ache from the tacos we had thirty minutes back… I know I do.

He caught me staring at him, and smiled. I gave him a whole-hearted smile back, but quickly went back to my position of looking out at the road. We had a long way home.

-Percy POV-

I had a bad feeling.

A really bad feeling.

We were back in New York, and from all of those magazines saying I'm still dating Rachel, and from all of those TV reality shows talking about how I'm cheating on Annabeth… blah, blah, blah. Like I'd ever have the guts to do that- she'd rip them out of me if I did.

I was next to Annabeth on my couch in my penthouse. We were watching the Titanic, which was a pretty sad movie, I will admit, but not crying worthy.

"Percy?"

I looked at Annabeth, who was leaning into my chest.

"Yeah?"

"What are we going to do when you have to go back to LA?"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I had no idea what we were going to do when I moved out to LA… I mean, would we have to do a long distance relationship? I know Annabeth won't move from New York. And I also know long distance relationships are hard.

"I have no idea, Annabeth," I told her, my voice muffled from her hair.

"I don't either Percy… wait, when do you leave tomorrow?" she asked me, looking at me. I couldn't place the look in her eyes. I've never seen it from her before.

"I leave at one o'clock. … I changed my flight to the later one, since I was originally supposed to leave at nine, though."

"So I guess my time with you is closing rapidly," Annabeth sighed, and got up. "Get up. We're going for a walk."

I looked at her weirdly, but still stood. She put on her shoes and a hat on, and I did too.

I followed her outside, and we started walking around. Soon, we got to central park, and the laughter of kids and dogs barking made me smile. I would miss that.

"Why did you take me here?" I asked, turning around to face her. Annabeth just shrugged and stopped walking.

"I guess I just wanted to have a walk in the park with you… who knows how long it'll be until I can do this with you again."

"But we will do this again," I told her, and it sounded more like a demand then just a plain comment.

"You got it, seaweed brain," she said, starting to get sarcastic.

"Hey! I thought we were over that nick name!" I exclaimed. "It hurts the soul." I held my chest dramatically, causing Annabeth to laugh.

"You know how to bring the light out of stupid stuff, Percy," Annabeth told me, griping my shoulder, and squeezing- hard. "You don't need to do that all the time."

"I'll try not to, sweetheart."

"Don't call me sweetheart."

"Sorry, sweetheart."

"SHUT UP!"

-Annabeth POV-

Percy walked me home, and gave me a kiss goodnight.

Same thing every time I go home, but this time… it was some-what different.

This time, the kiss lingered longer than normal; and we were both seemingly reluctant to let go. To let go of each other… and to let go of our love.

When I took a look at the mail, I noticed something out of the norm. a picture. I looked at it, and my heart clenched. It was a picture of Percy and Rachel making out, and it dropped out of my hand from all the shock… my heart felt like it fell to my stomach.

How could he do this to me?

I noticed there was something written in red on the back, and I took a second to read.

To: Miss Boyfriend Stealer.

You see? Percy will never really like you the way he likes me. He'll never love you. Like, who could ever like you with that snarly yellow dreads you have? Sorry, I guess you could call them curls, if you were blind. Now, miss boyfriend stealer, I want you to give up on Percy. He's mine. With your past, you'll never deserve him. But I do. I'm actually in his social class. Unlike a little idiot like you. If you ever show this to Percy, I know the man who killed your mother.

Yeah. That's right. I know who killed your mother.

So tell Percy I sent you this, you're dead.

From: Me.

Oh my God.

She knows the killer.

But… her and Percy?

How?

I thought he loved me?

I thought he was the one?

How did this happen?

How did she even find out my mother died?

For all she could know, my mother might be living out in California.

How?

The next day, no sleep at all, I went to work. Yeah, I was stupid and went to work, after a night of no sleep. But, at the same time, I knew I couldn't approach him… it would kill me. I couldn't stand to see the look on his face as he breaks up with me.

So I'm going to do it first.

Before he can break my heart.

I rang up a few people, and tried to get how Percy screwed up my life, but I could never forget that letter. Rachel Elizabeth Dare sent me it, and now I'm scared. Scared crapless, if you catch my drift.

I was working on some paperwork, when I heard the door open, I looked up.

Oh no.

Percy walked in, and was looking at me with confusion. "Annabeth?"

"What do you want?" I snapped, my eyes only temporarily meeting his.

"Annabeth, what's wrong?"

"What do you mean what's wrong? You should've known not to, Percy!"

"Should've known not to what?" I'll give him credit, he looked genuine. But I knew he had acted in a few movies, so who knows what's real and what's not?

In answer, I held up the picture I got in the mail. From Rachel. Cue the barfing.

"Annabeth, when did you get this?" he asked, his face pained. I was looking at him now.

"Just yesterday."

"Don't you know I love you? How could you think I would ever do this?" Percy asked, gesturing to the picture. Now, I was actually confused. What?

"What do you mean?"

"Annabeth, this was a picture from when Rachel and I were dating."

Oh.

"I-I-"

He cut me off, "You can't trust me."

"Wai-"

He cut me off. Again, "If you can't trust me, maybe we shouldn't be dating."

"Per-"

And again, "I'm out of here."

He walked out of the book corner, slamming the door behind him.

DUNN DUNNN DUNNNN!

I like turdles.

~GoGreen52

(I know turtles is spelled wrong… you're welcome Sarah :P)